Best Low Cost Restaurants in Los Angeles

For budget priced meals, you need not sacrifice quality and nutrition. Los Angeles has some great places you will want to call home.

1. Du-pars Restaurant and Bakery, located at 6333 W 3rd Street. Los Angeles, Ca
Telephone: (323) 933-8446
Hours: 24
www.du-pars.com

Du-par's Restaurant and Bakery, located inside the Farmer's Market, is one of the L.A. few that's opened 24 hours a day. Beginning in 1938, this restaurant has been a Los Angeles tradition for the best breakfasts and home-styled baked pies. The executive chef, Medardo Hernandez, once worked for Wolfgang Puck at Spago and Granita. He spares no expense with Du-par's quality ingredients, freshness and supurb taste.

The restaurant sports a 1930's decor and offeres indoor and outdoor seating. Blue Plate Specials are offered for breakfast with four plates to choose from for just $8.75. Mix and match french toast, pancakes, eggs, bacon or turkey sausage. The Complete Breakfast is $9.75 and adds hashbrowns and orange juice.

For early birds at dinner time, try the Beat The Clock specials, where you pay whatever the time is at your arrival. If you arrive at 4:07pm, your plate costs $4.07. They have four meals on this pay plan: Three Cheese Macaroni, Fish and Chips, Chicken Scaloppino and Du-par's Tri Tip Beef.

On the regular menu most meals are under $12 and include specialty salads, piled-high sandwiches, soups, pasta, and the best burgers downtown. Du-par's uses only the top grade beef from all-natural grain fed Harris cattle.

General prices for lunch average under $10, but gourmet meals are also available for just a few dollars more.
And the children's menu serves up simple dishes from grilled cheese sandiches to tri tip beef dinners, averaging about $6.75.

2. Burger Continental, located at 535 S. Lake Ave, Pasadena, Ca 91101
Telephone: (626) 792-6634
www.burgercontinentalpasadena.com

For a fine and tasty lunch or dinner with live entertainment, try Burger Continental for their delicious Mediterranean fare. This restaurant has indoor dining and also an outside quarters for smokers. The entertainment is mainly live Arabic and Greek music, and once a week on Wednesdays, they bring in the Dixieland Jazz Band. On Arabic nights, a free bellydancing floor show runs twice nightly around 7 and 10pm. The nature of the show is all in fun and suitable for the entire family, but get there early, as the facilty fills up fast.

The menu offers a wide variety of Middle Eastern and American appetizers including stuffed grape leaves, hummus, eggplant tahini, spinach taboule and soujak ranging from $3.99 to $5.99. And sandwiches are served on fresh pita bread with Greek and Armenian flair for only $5.99. Some on the entrees they are famous for include the Omar Sharif Kabob, Chicken Corinth, Aladdin's Kebob Oasis, and of course their giant-sized all-American burgers. Prices range from $5.99 to the mid teens, and these entrees are served on 12 inch platters, rather than traditional dinner plates. The amount of food is a deal, the atmosphere is friendly and the entertainment is free.

3. The Rainbow Bar and Grill, located at 9015 Sunset Blvd, West hollywood, Ca 90069
Telephone: (310) 278-4232
Hours: Lunch:11am to 4pm, Dinner: 5pm til 2am
www.rainbowbarandgrill.com

For an ecclectic blend of American, Mexican and Italian, the Rainbow Bar and Grill is conveniently located on the Sunset Strip with plenty of free parking. Their sandwiches are a bargain starting at just $4.95, and also includes a few vegetarian choices. And carnivores might like Mike's Roast Beef Sandwich for $7.95.

Rainbow serves up 7 Italian meals for $6.95 including linguini, rigatoni, lasagna, and they have a whole pizza for two at $15. They serve most expected beverages, including specialty coffees such as lattes, espresso and cappuccinos for $2.95. In addition, there's a full bar for beer, wine and cocktails.

The dinner menu ranges from $15 to $45 with such favorites as lobster tails, a 22 oz porterhouse steak, filet mignon and shrimp scampi. Dancing is offered to live music starting at 9pm and running till closing at 2am. Reservations for dinner are strongly recommended, especially on the weekends.

4. Marcos Trattoria. located at 8136 Santa Monica Blvd, West hollywood, Ca 90046
Telephone: (323) 650-2771
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 10am to 10pm, weekends: 9am to 10pm
www.marcoswesthollywood.com

Popular with celebrities from Clay Aiken to Dodger's manager Tommy Lasorda, this wonderful Italian restaurant has reasonable prices falling mainly between $5 and $10. Breakfast is served from 10am to 1pm with a most specialty omelettes and combo plates at $7. Add a short stack for $3 and an espresso bar starting at $1.50.

Value pricing for lunch is had with the combo plates such as Fettucine Alfredo, Eggplant alla Parmigiana and Penna alla Arrabbiata, all served with Bruschetta and Focaccia with either minestrone or caeser salad for $10.95. And pizza combos with salad are just $7.75. Dinner prices are slightly higher, but do not exceed $19.95. Wine is affordable at only $4 per glass, $9 for a half carafe, or $18 per bottle. In addition, guests may bring their own wine for a $5 corking fee.

Marcos also delivers to the immediate Hollywood area, but does not accomodate orders up Mullholland Drive. See the website for delivery restrictions. This restaurant has just opened a new store called Cafe Marco, located at 1051 Havenhurst Drive, Los Angeles,Ca 90046, where you will find organic coffees, sandwiches, juices, cookies and free wireless with purchase.

5. Biancas Cafe and Deli, located at 1307 N. Vermont Ave, Unit B, Los Angeles, Ca 90027
Telephone: (323) 669-1829
Hours: 7am to 5pm Monday - Friday
www.biancasdeli.com

Bianca's Cafe and Deli is one of those treasures that you stumble upon or are referred to. The storefront is small, but the quality is large. Founded in 1983, this indoor/outdoor cafe has one of the lowest prices in town for a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich at just $6.49. And their delicious Greek and Mediterranean breakfast menu starts at $4.69, and classic American omelettes are only $6.29. Vegetarians will like their new dish, "Vunderful Veggie" with grilled eggplant, zucchini, Feta cheese, basil and grilled peppers for $6.49.

Bianca's also does catering, with platters such as assorted sandwiches, kebobs, Greek salads and more. Mix and match your platters. In addition, they provide a free dessert and soda. Orders must be for a minimum of 15 plates and they will deliver to most areas in Southern California. If you would like something not offered on the menu, call Greg or Rita and they will make every effort to accomodate you.